Casing head



Patented .July 26, 193s ternational Supply Company, Tulsa., Okla corporation oi' Delaware Application May 25, 1937, Serial No. 144,729

6 Claims.

The present invention relates to casing heads.

charged by the ordinary oil well pump, is comv bined with the tubing hanger and the polish rod stuffing box to form a unitary device which can be quickly and easily mounted at the top of an oil well casing andl which will be shorter in over all length than combinations heretofore used andwill, therefore, occupy less space and be cheaper to construct.

Another object is to provide an arrangement of stufdng box and pumping T which will permit flexing ofthe polish rod during the pumping operation without deleterious affect of such flexing on the stuilng box packing.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing which-illustrates one particular form of the new invention.

In the drawing wherein like numbers indicate the same parts in the various gures,

Fig. l is a front partially sectional elevation of the casing head of this invention showing the' general-assembly of the various parts of the device.

Fig. 2 is atransverse section taken along line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is` a vertical sectional view of a modified form ofthe invention.

other and are held together into a unitary strucy ture by means and in a manner to be more fully described hereinafter.

Tubing hanger 5 comprises a. hollow body por- Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation of the lower pory tion 8 internally threaded at its lower end for engagement with the upper end of a string of casing 9. Mounted within casing 9 is a string of tubing IIJ, the upper end of which extends through the interior of bodyportion 8 and for a short distance therebeyond. Mounted in the upper end of body portion 8 are the usual slips II which support tubing I0. Slips II are wedge shaped tapering from top to bottom and the upi per interior wall of body 8 is tapered in a complementary manner to hold the slips vagainst tubing I0. On a level with the top of slips II, the upper end of body 8 is cut out to form an annular shoulder I2 and an upstanding circular lip I3. Composition packing I4 is positioned on slips II and rests on Ashoulder I2 and is adapted to be compressed into tight engagement with tubing I0 and lip I3 thus sealing body 8 against the passage of well fluids flowing through the annular space between casing 9 and tubing I 0. A vent opening I5 communicating with the interior of casing 9 is provided through the wallof body 8- below slips IIv to permit discharge of well iluids from the space between the tubing and casing.

Lip I3 forms an annular flange I6 tted with apertured ears IBa for receiving bolts II when attaching to the tubing hanger the other portions of the device to be later described. It will be recognized that the tubing hanger above-described is of a more or less conventional design. Pumping T 6 consists of a vertically disposed hollow member I8 having a lower por-tion I9, an upper portion 20, and an intermediate portion 2|. somewhat largerthan the outer diameter of tubing III and permits placing the portion I9 of the T freely over the end of tubing Ill. When placed over tubing III, the lower end of the portion I9 rests on packing I4 within the connes of lip I3. Surrounding the lower end of the portion I9 is an annular flange 23 having apertured ears 24 which register with ears I'Ia of the tubing hanger flange. Bolts I1 extend through ears 24 and I6a and by tightening nuts I'Ia, T 6 and tubing hanger 5 are drawn togetherI and the lower end of the portion I9 acts as a gland to compress packing I4 and thereby pack-off between casing 9 and tubing I0. f

The bore 25 of the portion 20 is somewhat larger in diameter than the bore 22 and terminates at its lower end in an annular shoulder 26 which is preferably hollowed out to form a substantially parti-spherical socket, the function of which will be later described. The upper end of .the portion 22 is also surrounded externally by a flange The bore 22 of the portion I9 has a diameter 21 fitted with apertured ears 28. The intermediate portion 2| constitutes a flow line extending outwardly from the bore 22.

Stufllng box 1 consists of a sleeve 29 which is tubular in form and has externalv threads 30 at one end and, at the other end, an annular flange 3| which extends laterally beyond the inner and outer walls of sleeve 29 forming annular shoulders 32 and 33 respectively within and without the sleeve. The lower face of flange 3| is tapered or parti-spherical and is adapted to contact shoulder 26 within bore 25 of arm 20 and to form a ball-and-socket joint therewith. Sleeve 29 surrounds a polish rod 34 which is adapted to reciprocate in tubing I9. A centralpassageway 35 through flange 3| is sufficiently large to permit free reciprocation of rod 34 therethrough and composition packing 36, held between gland rings 31, is mounted in the annular space between polish rod 34 and the interior wall of sleeve 29, the lower gland ring 31 resting on shoulder 32. A follower nut 39, fitted with handles 39', is threadedly engaged with threads 30 of sleeve 39 and by turning of nut 38, the same acts to press down upon the upper gland ring 31 which in turn compresses packing 36 and provides means for packing-offf o! the polish rod 34. Other composition packing 40, which is preferably soft rubber packing, is placed in the annular space between the sleeve 28 and the wall of bore 25 and rests on shoulder 33. A packing gland 4| surrounds the exterior of sleeve 29 and is spaced therefrom by a space 4|a and one end of gland 4| rests on packing '40. The opposite end of gland 4| has a laterally extending annular flange' 42 fitted with ears 43 having apertures 44 which are adapted to register with the apertures in ears 29 of flange 21. Bolts 45 extend through apertures 44 and the registering apertures in ears 29 and tightening of nuts 46 thereon acts to unite stuing box 1 with T 6 and at the same time to compress packing 40 and thus pack-off between sleeve 29 and bore 25 of arm 29.

In assembling the device, body 6 of the tubing hanger is screwed onto casing 9 and slips ar dropped into place within body 9 engaging tubing I9. Packing |4 is then placed about the tubing and positioned upon the top of slips and shoulder l2. The pumping T 6 is then slipped over the open end of tubing I and into contact with packing |4. Bolts I1 are then slipped through ears |6a and 24 and nuts |1a are then adjusted to draw T 6 into operative engagement with the tubing hanger and thereby compresses packing |4 to pack-off between the tubing and casing. At this time, the open end of tubing III, which protrudes into the interior of pumping T 6, will register with the passageway through member 2| of the T, thus permitting discharge of well fluids from the tubing through member 2| to external receivers, not shown.

Since polish rod 34 is in place in tubing i9, it will be readily understood that T 6 is slipped over the upper end of polish. rod 34 in placing the T over the open end of the tubing.

Sleeve 29 of the stuffing box is then slipped over the upper end of the polish rod a'nd inserted into bore 25 of the portion 29 of the pumping T to .bring the ball surface of flange 3| -into engagement with shoulder 26. Lower gland ring and followed by upper gland ring 31. Packing 40 is then placed in the annular space between the exterior of sleeve 29 and the wall of bore 25, this packing resting upon shoulder 33. Packing gland 4| -is then placed about sleeve 29 and in contact with packing 49 and ears 43 and apertures 44 are brought into registration with ears 29 of T 6. Bolts 4.5 are then slipped through apertures 44 and ears 28 and nuts 46 are adjusted to draw gland 4| into compressive contact with packing 40 and, at the same time, to operatively connect stufiing box 1 to T 6. Gland nut 38 is then slipped over rod 34 and screwed up on threads 39 of sleeve 29 forcing upper gland ring 31 into compressive contact with packing 36 and completing the assembly of the casing head.

Reciprocation of polish rod 34 during the pumping operation produces a slight flexing 'or bending from the true vertical ofthe upper portion of the rod, as is well known in this art, and as is exaggeratedly indicated by the sloping center line shown in Fig. 1. If stuffing box 1 were maintained rigidly in the vertical position on pumping T 6, this bending of polish rod/34 would cause undue wear of packing 36 or scoring of rod 34. lTo' obviate this difliculty, the ball-andsocket joint of this invention, formed by flange 3| and shoulder 26, permits pivotal movement of stulng box 1 about this joint in accordance with the bending of rod 34. One off-center position of rod A34 is shown in dotted lines in Fig. l.

to illustrate the manner in which the bal1and.

socket joint functions to meet thisend, the of! center position of the rod and fiange 3| being shown in full lines and the normal position in dotted lines. When rod 34 bends and sleeve 29 moves in the direction of this bending movement, packing 46 will be lcompressed. and will expand laterally between sleeve 29 and bore 25 in accordance with the direction of movement of rod 34. Gland 4| will remain substantially stationary and the movement of sleeve 29 with the bending of the rod will take place within the confines of space 4|a.

l When constructed in accordance with the above described arrangement, the casing head of this invention will have anl over-all height which is severalsinches shorter than-equivalent combinations heretofore used and the new casing head can, therefore, be manufactured at considerable saving in `cost over former types and will occupy less spa over the well head as well as being more easily and quickly assembled on the well casing.

It will be understood that various modifications and alterations may-be made in size, form and arrangement of the various details of the device of this invention. For example, as shown in Fig. 3, the tubing hanger 5a, instead of having a female connection as illustrated above for mounting on the casing, may have a male connection 9b threaded externally for engaging the internal threads of casing 9d. Packing |4, instead of arated therefrom and a metal spacing ring |4b may be provided between the packing |4 and slips lla, said ring forming a shoulder arranged in the bore of the tubing hanger above the slips `Ilay for supporting the packing. A vent opening |5a communicating withl the interior of the casing is provided through the wall of the tubing hanger, andin order to permit a well fluid traveling between the tubing `I9 and the casing,l toreach the opening, the slips maybe provided withehannels lib, such as are shown in the patent V'to 4llVigle No. 1,863,890, dated June 2l, 1932.

'Ihe pumping T 6 in either form of the invenl being placedV directly upon the slips, may be sepy1'. IIn combination, a welllpipe, a tubing hanger securedto the upper end of'the well pipe and having a bore, tubing extending from the interior of the'well pipe through said tubing hanger, means forsupporting said tubingfwithi-n said bore, a shoulder arranged in said bore, packing means surrounding said tubing and resting on said lshoulder,'an elongated'member extending into lthe upper, end of the tubing hanger and having its lower end engaging the packing to clamp thev packing between said member and said shoulder, said elongated member having a vertical bore extending axially therethrough and communicating with said tubing, an arm extending laterally from said member and having a passageway communicating with said vertical bore, and sealing means arranged in said vertical bore and rockably supported by said elongated member for sealing the upper end portion of said vertical bore.

2. In combination, a well pipe, a tubing hanger secured to the upper end of the well pipe and having a bore, tubing extending from the interior of the well pipe through said tubing hanger, means for supporting said tubing within said bore, a shoulder arranged in said bore, packing means surrounding said tubing and resting on said shoulder, an elongated member extending into the upper end of the tubing hanger and having its lower end engaging the packing to clamp the packing between said member and said shoulder, said elongated member having a vertical bore extending axially therethrough and communicating with said tubing, an arm extending laterally from said member ,and having a horizontal passageway communicating with said vertical bore, and a sealing member rockably supported by said elongated member -for sealing the upper end portion of said vertical bore, said sealing member having its lowerend in substantial alignment with the upper portion of saidY horizontal passageway.

3. In combination, a Well pipe, a tubing hanger secured to the upper end of the well pipe and .having a bore, tubing extending from the interior `ing laterally from said member and having a passageway communicating with said vertical bore, a seat within the upper end portion of said elongated member extending inwardly from the wall of said vertical bore, and a sealing member arranged within the upper end portion of said elongated member and rockably supported on said seat for sealing the upper end portion of said vertical bore.

4. In combination, a well pipe, a tubing hanger secured to the upper end of the well pipe and having a bore, tubing extending from4 the interior of the well pipe through said tubing hanger, means for supporting saidttubinug within said bore, a shoulder arranged'in said bore, packing means surrounding said tubing" and resting on saidl shoulder, an elongated member extending into the upper end of the tubing hanger and having its lower end engaging the packing to clamp the packing between said member and said shoulder, said elongated member having a vertical bore extending axially therethrough and communicating with said tubing, an arm extending laterally from said member and having a horizontal passageway communicating with said vertical bore, a seat within the upper end portion of vsaid elongated member extending inwardly from the wall of said vertical bore and arranged at the inner end of said horizontal passageway, and a sealing member arranged within the upper end portion of said elongatedmember and rockably supported on said seat for sealing the upper end portion of said vertical bore.

'5. In combination, a well pipe, a tubing hanger secured to the upper end of the well pipe and having a bore, tubing extending from the interior of the well pipe through said tubing hanger, means for supporting said tubing within said bore, a shoulder arranged in said bore, packing means surrounding said tubing and resting on said shoulder, an elongated member extending into the upper end of the tubing hanger and having its lower end engaging the packing to clamp the packing between said member and said shoulder, said elongated member having a vertical bore extending axially therethrough and communicating with said tubing, an armextending laterally from saidl member and having a passageway communicating with said vertical bore, a seat within the upper end portion of said elongated member extending inwardly from the wall of said vertical bore, and means for sealing the upper end portion of said vertical bore, said means including an elongated sleeve extending into said elongated member and having its lower end rockably supported on said seat.

6. In combination, a well pipe, a tubing hanger secured to the upper end of the well pipe and having a bore, tubing extending from the interior of the well pipe through said tubing hanger, means for supporting said tubingwwithin said bore, a shoulder arranged in said bore, packing means surrounding said tubing and resting on said shoulder, an elongated member-extending into the upper end of the tubing hanger and having its lower end engaging the packing to clamp the packing between said member and said shoulder, said elongated member having a vertical bore extending axially therethrough and communicating with said tubing, an arm extending laterally from said member and having a passageway communicating with said vertical bore, an annular parti-spherical seat within the upper end portion of said member extending inwardly from the wall of said vertical bore, and a stuffing box extending into said vbore and univeisally rockable on said seat, said stuiling box including an elongated sleeve projecting into said vertical bore and having a complementary parti-spherical flange at the lower end thereof resting on said seat.

' JAMES B; WRIGLEY. 

